Water heater



J. F. MUSTEE Dec. 20, 1949 WATER HEATER Filed Oct. 8, 1945 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Dec. 20, 1949 WATER HEATER Joseph F. Mustee, Cleveland, Ohio Application October 8, 1915, Serial No. 621,145

My invention relates to improvements in water heaters and in particular to water heaters having a heating element next adjacent the storage \tank with the heatproduced by the heating element radiated and directed about the tank.

An objectof my invention is the provision of certain new and useful improvements in water heaters of the type in which heat is applied directly to the water storage tank.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a shell eccentrically spaced about the storage tank for enclosingboth the tank and the heating element to provide more eflicient heating of the tank.

r. Another object of my invention is the provision of a shell for substantially enclosing a water tank and the heating element therefor, in which the shell has a somewhatconical shape for providing space between the shell and the tank for the heating element.

Another object of my invention is the provision ofan improved neat appearing water heater which may be economically and practically manufactured from standard parts.

A further object of my invention is the combination of a shell and baflle plates for more efliciently directing heat about the tank.

Other objectsand a fuller understanding of my invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

, Figure l is a front elevational view of my water heater with certain parts shown in cross section and with other parts omitted for clarity;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken 1 along theline 22 of Figure 1 with certain parts removed for clarity;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1 with certain parts removed for clarity;

3 Claims. (01. 12 219) my water heater to provide a neat appearing article of manufacture. The storage tank and the shells are supported by a bottom support member iii. A top cover plate I! having a rim 4! thereabout encloses the top end of my water heater. An insulation material l5 may be inserted between the inner shell l3 and the outer shell l4.

The bottom support member [6 has a flange or rim 2| thereabout and an opening l8 therein. The support member 16 and the storage tank ll may be fastened by welding or other suitable Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1 with certain parts removed for clarity; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged and fragmentary view taken along the line 55 of Figure 4, with cerabout, and substantially encloses the heating element l2 and the storage tank H.

The heating element l2, in my drawings, is located on the right side 28 of my water heater. An outer shell l4 may be used to house the component parts of means. When the water heater is assembled, the opening ill in the bottom support member I6 is aligned with the heating element l2 to provide air intake means therefor. The support member 16, has legs 20 fastened thereto by rivets 24 or other suitable fastening means. These legs20 extend downwardly from the support member to hold the water heater above the floor and prevent blocking of the opening it to permit passage of air therethrough. It is understood. however, that this air intake opening l8 may be in another part of the water heater, providing it permits air to enter into the region of the heating element for combustion.

The water storage tank II, as illustrated and used in my description, may be a standard cylindrical hot-water tank. For purposes of clarity in my description and claims, I have designated the water storage tank H as having a top end port on 25 and a bottom end portion 26 connected by wall 21. Water inlet and outlet tubes 4| and 42, as illustrated in Figure Lextend outwardly through the cover plate H for connecting the storage tank II to a water line. Washers 46 may be pressed about the inlet and outlet tubes 4| and 42 and against the top cover plate I! to hold the top cover plate relatively stationary with respect to the water storage tank ll. These washers are pressed onto the tubes after the cover has been placed over the storage tank I l.

The inner shell l3, as used in the preferred embodiment of my invention, somewhat resembles a frustrum of a circular cone other than a right circular cone. The top end part of the somewhat cone-shaped inner shell is substantially concentrio with the top end portion 25 of the tank. The bottom end part of the inner shell is substantially eccentric withthe bottom end portion 26 of the tank. The longitudinal axis of the inner shell is at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical water storage tank II. A transverse sectional view taken parallel to the ends of the inner cone-like shell shows the inner shell sub- 3 a stantially circular. However, it is understood the clamp band 32 for supporting the heatin that in actual assembly of the water heater, the element 12. The corrugated spacer band 30 inner shell may slightly deviate from the circular spaces the shell from the storage tank on the cross section illustrated in my drawings. Alleft side 29 thereof. The heating element supthough inner shells of other type cross sections 5 port member 3| spaces the shell from the tank may be used, I have found that it is most pracon the right side 28 thereof. The bottom part tical to use one of substantially circular cross of the shell is further from the tank on the right section. The bottom end of the inner shell l3, side 28 than on the left side, thus providing room being eccentrically spaced about thelower por- .therebetweenfor the heatingelement .l2 and the tion of the tank, provides an enlarged combuscombustionfchamber. 43. tion chamber 43 on the right side 28 of the water In my drawings, I have illustrated the use of heater and in the region of the heating element .a curved gas burner heating element [2 which 12. The inner shell also provides a circulating extends partially about the water tank. This chamber 44 extending about the top endlportion h'ea'ting element S Supp d y the pp 25 of the tank. An exit tube [9 extendsthrough .15 member 3! .in the combustion chamber 43. Al-

the outer shell and the inner shell to the circuthough I have used the curve heating element,

lating chamber 44. The exitlstubeazis-sdisposed titis understood'that other suitable heating elesubstantially intermediate the ends ofthewater merits may be used without departing from the heater and on the leftside 29 of the water heater. scope of the invention.

The left side 29 of the water heater is that side Baflie plates t3 located on the sides of the "diametrically opposite the heating element 12. heating-elementsextend longitudirially of the j-"Theexhaust chamber 45'is that part of the circutank frcm the bottom end there'of upward'y to letting chambered" which extends intotheregion "the regionof' the circulating: chambered. These of the-exittube 19. By placing-this exit-tube l9 baffles 3 m y be p Weldedttoithe41131619511911 substantially"intermediatethe'endsof the water-1 o pp h m ween he-t nk l I ndm ""tank, I" have reduced'the cooling convection air inner Shell 13- The purpose- 'oizthe'bfifiiesxi33 is "currents about the tank. --In reducingthe effect =-to direct the: heat irom'the -heating element :up-

of the convection currents about the tank, the ward yend about the top" end p temperature .of thestorage tank 1 land its contank i i. In directingitheheat aboutthe top end ttents remain morenearly constant, over a longer; ..30"-D n 25 Ofthe l o e te lpes t o periodof time. the= exhaust tube; I have' beenable: tov obtain a .As' is'illustrated"irrmydrawings, the insula- "higher e'fiiciencyk'.fromnzmyiz-water..heater. 'ltion 15' betweentheinner or somewhat conical A temperature regulator 31 maybe connected :..sh aped shellil3- and the outer or cylindric'alshell in the fuel supp l e 38 for e u a i g :thex as TL lfis thicker-about the top end portion 25 ch burningzheating elementrll. Arr'openingM ex- 'the-'storage-tank I I. than 'itis about *the bottom tend n t rou h-the s -p s a u e fi trend portion, 26. "Warm-wat er in a storage tank ==connectthe.heatingelementz IZxito thevreguIator jjgenerally rises'to the top-pfithe tank, whil the '31. I A thermostattemperature-.control'i:38;hav-

coldwater-goes. to' thebottom' of the tank. By his: a rm e p n iv part ex ndin in o "the using a. cone-likeinner shell; I am able to makg40 water storage tank ll, controls:theatemperature '*theinsulationthicker about that-portion of the Of waterinrthemstorageftank 11 I. he re ulator :"storage .tank"wheref'it"is "most-needed without 31 is a safety c n rol devi e o-pr v n e s f om "substantially"increasing theovere'all size of my t entering e gay-"burning? heating 9161118111511" "waterx'heater. when there is-no combustion; takingplace. A A corrugated'spacer band 30. extends about the 451'd00r-"i35 0f: any standardtypemay" be Suit storage tank and holds'the inner shell from con- --fastened substantiallyaorrrtherfrontsside .otmy

" tacting the .wall of the tank. The spacer band Water heater-forinstalling-andlighting the .gas ZBOwncircIes' the topfiend portion 25' ,of the tank u r heating element 12. This d00r fi35 :may

I and permits circulation 'aboutthe top. end porhave: airopeningstherein forapermitting air:v to J'tiori25 of'the tankand within the, inner shell 13. =enter the combustion chamber. 1 I have employed a clamp band 32"Which is tight- In assembly,-my water-heater -may he con- 1 iened about the inner shell andhin the region of str-uctedby first 1 welding thebottom support l6 Tithe corrugated spacer band;3ll to hod the shell =-to the bottom end-of the tank :I l. The corruonto the tank H. and relatively stationary theregatedispacer bands 30 maythen be placed about .::.with.. Although other suitable means may be -"the tank and-the burner heater support 3| slipped employed forspacingithe "inner shell from the over the bottom spacerband. The cone-like .wall ofthe' tank, I'havef found a clamp band to inner shell !3, which hasr-the baiile. plates .33 The the most practical. welded thereto,"'may then. be clampedxabout the .As islillustrated" in the drawings of my prestorage-tank by the clampbands' 32. The outer Ierred embodimentrthe bottom parto f the inner shell may then be slid aboutthe inner shell and shellis .eccentricallyspaced from the bottom end within' thecrimi 2|v of the support i6. The top portion 26'-ofithestorage tank -I l. "The inner cover plate :l'hmaythenbe placed over the inlet ."shell maybe held relatively stationary with the and outlet tubes 4! and lzytowfinishenclosing bottom end portion of the-'tank' by acorruga-ted jtheztank. "The washers-146; which are; pressed {spacer band 530, a heatingelement'supportmem over the tubes; 4| and 42,.tighten the top .cover her Stand aiclamp :band Sit-which is tightened plate I! with respect to theewater'storage tank fabout the innenshelL-The support; member 3| l l and the rim-..portionI-'| aboutotheatopcover "-which has aisubstantially U'-shaped cross section, -plate holds the .outen shell; relatively stationary 'fitsnventhe corrugated spacer band 33. This therewith.

supportmember 3!, which supports the heating 9 =In the operation of my preferred: water heater, 'felement', has airholes '46 permitting air to enter an enters the combustion-chamber to support the coinbustionch'amberafter it enters'the opena combustion. The bafiie plates andthe inner shell "'ing lflfinthe" bottom support it. The support circulate and directthe heat upwardly along the '"tmeinber tit-extends at :leastpartially about the right=side of my water heaters The heat is then tank and held in pla-ce by the tightening oi acircuia-ted'over the-top ofzithe baiiie: platesg then about the top end portion of the tank. After the heat has circulated about the top end portion of the tank, it moves downwardly on the left side thereof to the exit tube. In examining Figure 1,

. tank. By transferring a greater amount of heat to, the storage tank, I have been able to increase the efficiency of my water heater.

In summarizing the operation, air enters the combustion chamber, the products of combustion circulate about the tank to heat the storage tank and its contents, and then the cooled products of combustion exit through the exhaust chamber and the exit tube.

Although I have described my invention in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a water heater, an elongated water storage tank having a top end portion and a bottom end portion, a heating element extending partially about the bottom end portion for producing heat, shell means substantially enclosing the heating element and the tank and being spaced from the tank, said shell means having a somewhat conical shape, said shell means being concentric with the top end portion of the tank and being eccentric with the bottom end portion of the tank, baflie means associated with the heating element and extending longitudinally of the storage tank and from the bottom end portion upwardly to a spaced distance from the top end portion of the tank, said baffie means and said shell means directing the heat in an upward direction on one side of the elongated water storage tank and in a downward direction on the other side thereof.

2. In a water heater, a water storage tank having a top end portion and a bottom end portion, a heating element extending partially about the bottom end portion for producing heat, shell means substantially enclosing the heating element and the tank and being spaced from the tank, said shell means having a somewhat conical shape, said shell means being concentric with the top end portion of the tank and being eecentric with the bottom end portion of the tank, said shell means providing a combustion chamber in the region of the heating element and a circulating chamber about the top end portion of the tank, said shell means providing an exhaust chamber substantially intermediate the ends of the tank and on the side diametrically opposite the combustion chamber, baffle means associated with the heating element and extending from the bottom of the tank upwardly to the circulating chamber, said bafiie means and said shell means directing the heat about the upper end portion before it enters the exhaust chamber.

3. In a water heater having an upper and a lower end, an elongated water container, a somewhat conical shaped shell enclosing said container and being spaced therefrom, directing plate means disposed between said container and said shell, said directing plate means extending upwardly from the lower end of the heater and terminating at a distance from the upper end thereof, said directing plate means defining at least a first and a second elongated surface portion on said elongated water container with the surface portions extending longitudinally thereof, a heating element at the lower end of said water heater between the somewhat conical shaped wall of the said shell and the said container and in the region of the first elongated surface portion, said shell means being concentric with the water container at the upper end and being eccentric with the water container at the lower end, said shell thereby being spaced furthest from the elongated water container in the region of said heating element, an exhaust extending through said shell and disposed substantially intermediate the ends of said water heater and in the region of the second elongated surface portion, said directing plate means and said shell directing the heat in an upward direction along and against said first elongated surface portion of the water container from the lower end of said water heater to the upper end of the water heater, said directing plate means directing the heat in a downward direction along said second elongated surface portion of the water container from the upper end of the water heater to the exhaust.

JOSEPH F. MUSTEE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENIS Number Name Date 719,277 Trenner Jan. 27, 1903 1,291,714 Austin Jan. 21, 1919 1,333,614 Gauger Mar. 16, 1920 1,382,495 Fowles June 21, 1921 1,691,008 Griswold Nov. 6, 1928 

